and Daum Electronics, which is a large electronic fitness equipment manufacturer based
in Fürth, Bavaria. In 2011, Derby Cycle Werke
took a 50-percent interest in Daum and
licensed the Daum motor system under the
Impulse name. Beginning in 2011, the Impulse
system took its place in the motor lineup of
Derby Cycle Werke’s brands, which include
Kalkhoff, Focus, Gazelle and Raleigh in the
German-speaking world. A completely redesigned gearbox is at the heart of the Impulse
2.0. The new German-made gears that combine motor power with pedal power have even
tighter tolerances than before, making for
near-silent operation.

www.focus-bikes.com

LIGHTNING RODS

Lightning Rods started out building
heavy-duty parts to modify the GNG drive,
but now the company builds two complete,
powerful mid-drive kits of their own: the 1500-
watt Small Block and the 3000-watt Big Block.
Both use a small motor with a 25mm belt-drive
primary reduction and a kart-chain secondary
reduction. The kart chain transfers the power to
the crank. The Small Block sells for $800 and
the Big Block costs $1000. Those prices don’t
include the controller, and you need to source
your own battery. The bracket allows fitment to
a variety of bottom bracket sizes.

www.lightningrodev.com

MID DRIVE EBIKE

This is a Canadian company with a variety
of mid-drive kits that use an external motor on
a bracket. Most use a double-chain rpm-reduc-tion system, but one model does use a single
chain on a motor with a planetary gearbox.
There are definitely many, many options to
consider here.

www.middriveebike.com

MPF

MPF is another mid-drive design brand
that only supplies OEM manufacturers. MPF’s
claims to fame are an oil-lubricated system
where all of the gears are made of steel to
best ensure durability and a long life. We have
some experience with the MPF drive, and it is
smooth and quiet in operation. Currently, the
only brand we know that is using the MPF drive
in the U.S. is Tempo ( www.tempobicycles.com)
bicycles. MPF requires a frame with a motor
mount, like Bosch and other similar drives.

www.mpfdrive.com

OPTIBIKE

This Boulder, Colorado, brand was started
by former motocross champion Jim Turner,
who definitely can be considered an early
adopter of e-bike design and technology. And,
he’s been a mid-drive advocate from the beginning. Optibike has three different mid-drive
configurations. The high end is the Elite Series